Bookmarked for future shenanigans.

Anyone happen to know if this method works with n64 connectors? I picked up a really gnarly (as in, bad) n64 for cheap that powers on, but nothing comes up. Acts like it's just really dirty.

If boiling your first old ass 72 pin connector (with great success) is sorcery then you can call me Merlin!

Anyone out there in internet-land who search "clean NES" or anything similar should be directed to these instructions... THIS IS PURE GOLD.

I mean, as others have said, you also have to bend the pins back so they make a good connection with the cartridge. But I did both and this NES some guy had collecting dust in his garage is working like new(ish)!!

5/7 games I tried & played worked first try. The other two were a bit more finicky. I'll take those apart and clean them more thoroughly. They all worked, though. That's a 95% increase in success rate for that machine. Classic green & grey screen on that machine before the cleaning. I'm looking forward to testing/playing more games today.

I also used these resources to help me out:

This video was helpful for showing the boiling (Haha, even to just get over the fear)




And this one is good for a close-up of the necessary bending of the pins...




My (slightly modified) method:
1)Remove pin connector.
2)Bend pins back.
3)Boil pins for 5 min (stirring somewhat constantly).
4)Remove pins from water, let cool, Shove random (clean) cart in 12 times.
5)Boil pins for 5 min (stirring somewhat constantly).
6)Let dry. ( I tapped out the connector and left a few feet away from a fan for 1.5 hours. Excessive, maybe, but I wanted to make sure they were dry.
7)Reassemble.
8)Play in amazement.

I am in NO WAY an electrical, technical, or handy guy but I was able to pull this off. Now the NES looks and plays great. It's a wonderful thing.

I hope others read through these archives and do the same. Replacement pins should be banished to the eternal bog of stench. Long live the boil!

Quick update... If it were a newspaper article I would title it "Water and bent pins saves NES"

18/18 games worked.

13/18 games turned on first try.

3 of those 5 games needed more cleaning and turned on first try. 2 games are still finicky, but still work.

Incredible success. I don't push the game cart down anymore. Works like a charm.

Just tried the boiling trick on one of mine that had problems making a solid connection, and it worked! Will do it for my other systems very soon!

Super bump for noobz (sarcastic old guy internet speak).

No need to throw away "non working pins" just because an NES "doesn't work" and buy new reproduction ones... 
 
Thank you for your efforts. As stated above, I have used your guidance (along withe bending the pins) with great success. 

 
This needs to be documented for future generations. Thank you for your input.

Games are snug in mine, I wouldn't say death grip, haha.

Yup yup yup, important bump!

Very much agree with this, both my original systems have fine pins after boiling, it really works!

Tried boiling method yesterday and it works!
Thank you guys!
It's really nice tip to use distilled water, because i used tap water and i've got some calcification on pins.